Liked it very much, though I could wish they included just a little more about her Swan Lake. The film seemed so determined to show how much more she is than Odette/Odile, that Swan Lake was barely mentioned or shown and then in the context of her willingness to learn the Nureyev version...

It's an incredible film, I'm glad it was created. What has struck me about Lopatkina from the start is her quiet integrity. Letestu summarizes it perfectly at the outset - how she doesn't follow the trend of self-marketing, of mainstream "Look at me!" facebook/i-phone self promotion, and she doesn't have to, because her art sells itself. So she's not getting rich by constant tours and projects like other international artists are, but her integrity remains in a class of its own. Few people today consider that more valuable than cash, but I certainly do.

Drew, what would you have wanted to see about her Swan Lake? Discussion of it, or clips of it? From my perspective, I've seen her in Lake live so much that I am glad they covered other works; and to me most interesting is what she says, as well as her particular rehearsal process -- although they did not show much of the latter either.

Swan Lake is such a touchstone work for Lopatkina's career that I just wondered if it would not have been appropriate to include some questions to her about it and her approach to it and maybe a little footage. She has, of course, talked about Swan Lake in other interviews and a lot of footage of her dancing Swan Lake is widely available--both "professional" and "bootleg"--so I assume the film-makers wanted a different emphasis.

But thinking about it, I don't think they give much attention to any of her great 19th-century roles -- they don't discuss or show excerpts of her Raymonda or her Giselle. Bayadere was mentioned in passing by Tchistiakova. Given Lopatkina's importance in setting an artistic standard in this repertory, I think it would have been interesting to have some reflection from her on a nineteenth-century role and perhaps on the difference (if any) between preparing those works and preparing something like Legend of Love. But...uh...not my film. (And I don't think film directors have the luxury of including everything even if they wanted to do so. I could happily watch a 10-hour film about Lopatkina, but I don't think one could get it produced in the first place.)

But also: I am nitpicking and I don't mean to sound ungrateful for such a beautiful document of Lopatkina's art and being. Like you I thought it was a wonderful film and I especially loved listening to her speak about her life/career.

Oooh...and I could wish I had seen Lopatkina's Swan Lake as often as you have Catherine!

Swan Lake is such a touchstone work for Lopatkina's career that I just wondered if it would not have been appropriate to include some questions to her about it and her approach to it and maybe a little footage. She has, of course, talked about Swan Lake in other interviews and a lot of footage of her dancing Swan Lake is widely available--both "professional" and "bootleg"--so I assume the film-makers wanted a different emphasis.

But thinking about it, I don't think they give much attention to any of her great 19th-century roles -- they don't discuss or show excerpts of her Raymonda or her Giselle. Bayadere was mentioned in passing by Tchistiakova. Given Lopatkina's importance in setting an artistic standard in this repertory, I think it would have been interesting to have some reflection from her on a nineteenth-century role and perhaps on the difference (if any) between preparing those works and preparing something like Legend of Love. But...uh...not my film. (And I don't think film directors have the luxury of including everything even if they wanted to do so. I could happily watch a 10-hour film about Lopatkina, but I don't think one could get it produced in the first place.)

But also: I am nitpicking and I don't mean to sound ungrateful for such a beautiful document of Lopatkina's art and being. Like you I thought it was a wonderful film and I especially loved listening to her speak about her life/career.

Oooh...and I could wish I had seen Lopatkina's Swan Lake as often as you have Catherine!

I second the vote for the 10-hour film! I know many who would watch it, myself included! But you have a point, probably it would never get produced...

Actually i agree with you, I'd also have loved to have heard her discuss more about her approach -- both to Bayadere and Giselle would have been really interesting to hear -- but I somewhat gather that she rarely (if ever) will do that. Like a trade secret I am guessing maybe the producers are not balletomanes, but i am not sure. Mezzo is an arts channel, but it's not a fact that the producers have experience in specific Mariinsky history (they may or they may not). If not, that would explain leaving things out. In any case, as it stands it's fantastic...and I'm so glad that it *is* on film!

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